England find themselves without a first-choice spinner just days away from the start of the Ashes, after Jack Leach was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the lower back.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the runners and riders to step into the Somerset man’s shoes.
Rehan Ahmed
Became England’s youngest ever Test debutant when he was thrust into the spotlight against Pakistan in December. Aged just 18 and 126 days when he took the field in Karachi, he claimed five for 48 in the second innings and two more in the first. Has impressed more with the bat than the ball for Leicestershire in this season’s LV= Insurance County Championship, with only six wickets in as many games at an average of 54.16.
Moeen Ali
A long shot, but one for the romantics. Moeen, 35, has bundles of experience in England whites, with 195 Test wickets and plenty of memorable moments. Currently retired from red-ball cricket, which appears a reasonable stumbling block, but Brendon McCullum was close to tempting him back in Pakistan last winter and might be tempted to reopen discussions over one last mission.
Will Jacks
Another debutant in Pakistan, the Surrey man is still known best for his aggressive batting and top-order exploits against the white ball. Yet, he will be an attractive option for McCullum and Ben Stokes given his attacking approach to the game. His off-breaks have impressed head coach Gareth Batty, himself a former England spinner, and he would be an explosive lower-order option with the bat.
Dom Bess
Knows the ropes with 14 Test caps and 36 wickets, and made his name as Leach’s understudy at Taunton. Lost confidence during his last stint in the international set-up and there is a feeling his game has plateaued somewhat since moving to Yorkshire. Nine wickets in four Division Two outings this term.
Liam Dawson
A dependable character with more than 15 years of first-class experience. A regular England squad man across formats, but has just three Test appearances to his name. By no means a mystery spinner, but perhaps the closest like-for-like replacement for Leach. A solid left-armer who can hold an end and bowl lengthy spells, he could provide handy respite for the seam attack. An under-rated batter and fielder, too.
Jack Carson
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman is well thought of and on recent form must have inched ahead of fellow England Lions tourist Liam Patterson-White, who has struggled to make an impact for Nottinghamshire this summer. Dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara twice during a county select XI game against India in 2021 and later enjoyed a one-on-one session with the great Virat Kohli. Still raw.
Brandon King named captain as West Indies squad named for three-match T20I series against South Africa
Brandon King has been appointed captain of the West Indies squad named to face South Africa in the upcoming three T20 International series at Sabina Park in Kingston starting Thursday, May 23. The squad has been gearing up for this exciting and highly anticipated series with a training camp held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. The selection panel has confirmed that Brandon King will have Roston Chase as his vice captain. Both appointments are on an interim basis.
King was set to lead the West Indies A-Team on the recently concluded T20 tour to Nepal before he was withdrawn due to injury. Chase, appointed instead, went on to lead the A-Team to a series win against Nepal.
The West Indies Men’s squad for the series is as follows: Brandon King (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.
Alzarri Joseph and Sherfane Rutherford will be added to the squad if their respective franchises do not reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) Final. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are both rested for the series and will join the squad in Trinidad on Monday, 27 May.
“These are among the last competitive T20 International matches before the start of the World Cup,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes. “Players have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and ensure they are as prepared as they can be for the World Cup, whether they are in the final squad or reserve pool.”
White Ball Head Coach Daren Sammy also commented on his objectives for this series stating, “We have not played together as a team since the Australia series, but we just completed a very high-intensity training camp in Antigua. Now we have the chance to integrate some of our players returning from the IPL and build some momentum as a group going into the World Cup.”
Tickets for the T20I Series against South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica are available now to buy online from the Windies Tickets service, at WINDIES TICKET PORTAL. Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best-shaded views in the stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.
Match schedule:
- 23 May 1st T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 25 May 2nd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 26 May 3rd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
West Indies won the last T20 International played at Sabina Park against New Zealand in August 2022, which was the last time international cricket was played at this historic venue.
IPL: Royals miss top-two chance after washout against leaders KKR
Rajasthan Royals were denied their shot at a top-two Indian Premier League finish after rain saw a clash with Kolkata Knight Riders abandoned without a ball bowled on Sunday.
The Royals finished third in the group stage of this year's IPL after four straight losses preceded the washout in Guwahati.
In-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru awaits in the Eliminator for Rajasthan on May 22, with the former on a six-match winning streak to reach the playoffs.
Pat Cummins' Sunrisers Hyderabad will face leaders Kolkata, whose last two games have been abandoned, in the first qualifier in Ahmedabad the day before.
IPL: Sunrisers cruise to victory to boost second-place hopes
Sunrisers Hyderabad eased to a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings on Sunday to boost their chances of finishing second in the Indian Premier League.
Prabhsimran Singh helped Punjab set a target of 215, but Hyderabad chased that down with relative ease to go second, a position they will finish in should Rajasthan Royals lose to the table-topping Kolkata Knight Riders later on Sunday.
After the Sunrisers won the toss and put Punjab in to bat, Prabhsimran top scored with 71 runs from 45 deliveries, while Atharva Taide (46 off 27) and Rilee Roussouw (49 from 24) also impressed as the Kings, already out of playoff contention, finished on 214/5.
Hyderabad's chase got off to a terrible start as Travis Head was bowled with the first ball of the innings, but the Sunrisers' other opener Abhishek Sharma helped to steady the ship alongside Rahul Tripathi.
Abhishek smashed his way to 66 off 28 deliveries before he was dismissed, while an important innings from Heinrich Klaasen (42 from 26) set the Sunrisers up for victory.
Abdul Samad and Sanvir Singh finished the job as the Sunrisers reached their target with five balls to spare, and they can now look ahead to their playoff campaign.
Data debrief: Abhishek wastes no time
The Sunrisers overcame Head's second IPL golden duck thanks to a brilliant innings from Abhishek, who reached his half-century in just 21 balls and finished with a strike rate of 235.71.
Tripathi and Klaasen achieved strike rates of 183.33 and 161.53 respectively, while Nitish Kumar Reddy also finished with 37 from 25 deliveries as Hyderabad made light work of a daunting target.
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